The first exhaustive treatment of Eastern European Jewish music tracing its roots from biblical times through its zenith in the nineteenth century to its decline in the late twentieth century. Sholom Kalib has taken on the crucial task of collecting, analyzing, and systematically presenting in over 160 examples a magnificent tradition to future generations of cantors, scholars of Jewish music, and music enthusiasts worldwide. Traditionally, this body of music was a source of great strength, stability, and inspiration to Eastern European Jews amid the uncertainties and upheavals of their everyday lives. With this volume the author reacquaints acculturated Jews with a vital and largely unknown part of their heritage. Comprehensive in breadth and scope, the book will serve as a standard scholarly reference for musicians, cantors, and musicologists.

The Sabbath Eve Service, a three-book set, is to date the most comprehensive annotated anthology of authentic musical liturgy of the Eastern European synagogue Friday night Shabbat service. Part of a projected five-volume set, this series is dedicated to the preservation of the legacy of Eastern European synagogue music, a legacy that represents both the spiritual and artistic core of Jewish life and history. Passed down in the form of oral tradition, over time it inspired prodigious musical creativity resulting in a vast repertoire of cantorial and choral compositions. With The Sabbath Eve Service, Kalib is rescuing that segment of this cherished heritage, making it accessible for generations to come.

This volume includes multiple renditions of every prayer, thus illustrating the broad diversity within traditional intonation of each prayer mode. In accordance with the traditional role assigned to the prayer leader of each service, renditions are presented at levels appropriate to the lay cantor (baal t'filo) as well the professional cantor (chazz'n). Liturgical texts that were traditionally intoned by cantor and choir, or by choir alone, are also included. Annotative commentary explains the liturgical role and character of each service and analyzes the musical content of each prayer mode within it. It also explains the techniques employed in applying the prayer mode to specific liturgical texts and how the applications reflect the literal as well as spiritual content of the texts. This set comprises four books covering the fourteen weekday liturgical occasions, with annotated commentary.